Spreading device



W. E. LOMBARD srnswme. DEVICE Filed am; 10 1922 2 shun-stun. 2

Patented May 20, 1924. A

irao STATES f PATENT OFFICE.

WALTEYEE. or ARLINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

ZSPREADING DEVICE.

Application filed November 10, 1922. Serial No. 600,061;

buildings to separate the steel plates onone I line '3, 3on Fig. 1.

member sufliciently to admit the end of-another member to be riveted thereto.

Ordinarily these plates are parallel an separated the required distance but in transportation, the plates are sometimes bent inwardly so that the member to be connected "thereto cannot be inserted between the plates.

The present practice is to force the plates into required separated position by means of sledge hammers and the like. 1

This entails considerable labor and consumes a great amount of time whichcould be utilized to better advantage by the workmen. .7

To overcome this difficulty and provide a simple device for quickly separatingthe 1 ram 16 havmg a head 17 on theouter end thereof: This 'ram'16 is provided with 2. cy-

plates when out of parallelismis the object of the present invention.

While it is evident that the device is adapted to be used for the purpose described, it is adapted to be used also for' man y'other similar purposes, as must be perfectly obvious.

The invention consists primarily of a casing adapted to be positioned upon-the tops of the plates and provided with reciprocating means to be interposed between the" the drawings and to the claims to be hereinafter given.

For the purpose of illustrating the in vention, one preferred form thereof is shown in the drawings, this form having been found to give satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities ofwhich-the invention consists can be variously arranged with the cover removed.

the'outer end' thereof." I The frame 10 hasfixedly securedtheretoa key 22-extendinginto a s1ot23' formed in. the periphery of the @ram 16, and lengthand organized, and that the invention is not limited tothe precise arrangement and organization of the instrumentalities as herein shown and described, except as required by the scope of the appended claims.

Of the drawings Figure l represents a plan of a device embodying the principles of the present invention.

Figure 2 represents a verticalsectionon, 111182, 2 on Fig. 1. l

Figure 3 represents a vertical section on Figure 4 represents an inverted plan of the cover and members carried thereby, and Figure 5 represents a plan of the device Similar characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures of the drawl ngs. Q p

In the'drawings, is a frame or casing provided with a handle 11 by which the device may be carried from point to point.

The frame-or casing 10 is .provided with a cover 12 secured thereto-by means of screws 13. =The frame 10.- is provided with alined bearings 14,15, one 'ofwhich, 14, is larger than the other. l r

I In thebearing 14 isdisposed' a cylindrical lindrical axial "recess 18 in which is di'sposed thethreaded shank '19 ofa ram 20 positioned in the bearing 15 and having a head 21 on wise thereof, thereby preventing said ram from rotating about its axis in the bearing 14. A key I 24 is similarly fixedly: secured in the frame 10 witha portion thereof extending into a slot 25in the periphery of the ram 20,thereby preventing the rotation of saidram about its axis within thelbearing 15.

The frame 10is also provided with a barrel 26 midway between the opposite ends of theframe 10 and in axial alinement with thebearings let-and 15. The bore '27 of this barrel 26 forms a guideforthe ram 16, and the threaded shank 19 of the ram 20, fits the bore 18 of the ram 16, the wallof said bore forming a guide for said threaded shank. Between .the ends of the Joarrel 26 and the ,innerend' walls of the casing or frame '10 are, disposed the nuts 28 and :29, which are prevented from end movement by the hubs thereof contacting with the ends of the barrel 26 and the inner walls of the casing or frame 10.

The nut 28 is mounted upon the threaded portion 30 of the ram 16, and the nut 29 is mounted upon the threaded shank ofthe ram 20. It is obvious, therefore, that when the nuts28 an'd29 are rotated about their axes, the rams 16 and 20' will be reoiprocated simultaneously. The nut 28 has formed thereon or secured thereto a beveled gear 31, and the nut 29 has similarly mounted thereon a beveled gear 32. The teeth of these beveled gears 31 and 32 mesh with a driving gear 33, having a pinion 34' formedqupon or secured to the hub thereof.

The pinion, 34v meshes with the teeth of a gear 35 rotatable about astud 36 secured to the cover 12, said gear 35-having formed thereon a pinion 37 which meshes with the gear 38 revoluble about the axis of the shank 39 of-the-driving gear 33. This gear-38 has a tubular hub 40 extending through the cover 12 and .to the outer end of the tubularhub 40 is secured an actuatingorank 41. Secured to theouter end of the shank 39 by means of a pin 42 is a ,collar 43 to retain the various elements in positionwhen the cover 12 1s removed from the casingor frame 10.

By turning the actuating crank 41, the gear 38 will be rotated about its axis, driving the :pinion'37 andgear 35, said gear35 in turn rotating'the pinion 34 andgear 33. This latter gear meshing with the gears 32 and 31 will rotate the'nuts 28 and 29 about their axes and causethe rams 16 and 20 to be moved endwise relativel to each other in either direction'as desired:

The inner end of the ram 16 will remain within the bore 27 of the barrel 26, and the inner end of the threaded shank 19 .ofthe ram 20 will remain within the bore 18 of the ram 16 when the heads 17 and 21 are moved outwardly'to the full limit of theirmovement.

While only two gears 38, 35 and pinions 37 34 are shown in' the drawings, it is obvious that a greater number of gears may be used in thetrain of gearing if it is'desired to attain a greater degree of leverage.

The cover 12 is provided with-oppositely -disposed wings 44, 45, which wings are adaptedto'rest upon the tops of the steel plates which it-is desired to spread apart.

' These wings 44, 45 are provided with grooves 46 extending laterally thereof, inwhich are disposed the slidable bars 47,- 48, having downwardly extending flanges 49 at the opposite ends thereof.

These bars 47, 48 are provided with slots 50 through which extend the non-revoluble threaded shank 51. having-a clamping nut' 52 mounted on the upper end thereof.

plates of the column and adjusts the bars 4'7,

48 so that the flanges 49 will bear against the opposite edges of the plates. The device will then be positioned in such a manner that it cannot be accidentally displaced.

The operator then grasps the actuating handle 41 and rotates the driving gear 33 in the manner described, thus causing the nuts 28 and 29 in their rotation to move the rams 16 and 20 in opposite directions, the heads 17 and 21 bearing against the innor faces ofthe plates and forcing them apart, the operator continuing the rotation of the actuating member until the plates are separated a sufiicient amount.

This makes a very convenient and simple device for accomplishing this purpose.

It is believed that the operation and many 7 Y sitely disposed outwardly extending wings;

positioning members on said wings' gearingsupported by said frame; means ror actuating said gearing; and a non-revoluble member reciprocable in bearings in said .casin and-provided with a head on the outer end t ereof.

3. The combination of a frame having oppositely disposed outwardly extending Wings;

members adjustable laterally of said wings and having down-turned flanges; gearing supported by said frame; means for actuating said gearing; and a non-revoluble member reciprocable in bearings in said casing and provided with a head on the outer end thereof.

, 4. The combination of aframe having oppositely disposed outwardly extending wings; members slidably mounted on said wings and movable laterally thereof; means for retaining said slidable members in adjusted position; gearing supported by said frame; means for actuating said gearing; and a non-revoluble member reciprocable in bearings in said casing and provided with a head on theouter end thereof.

5. The combination of a frame having.

' alined bearings; a reciprocating member in one bearing having an axial recess; a reciprocating member within and fitting said recess; and manually actuated gearing for reciprocating said members.

7. The combination of a frame having alined bearings; reciprocating members in said bearings one telescoping into and fitting the cylindrical bore of the other, and each member being provided with a screw thread; means preventing the rotation of said members; a revoluble nut on each member; means preventing end movement thereof; and manually actuated gearing for rotating said nuts.

8. The combination of a frame having alined bearings; reciprocating members in said bearings, one telescoping into the other, and each member being provided with a screw thread; means preventing the rotation of said members; a revoluble nut on each member; means preventing end movement 1 thereof; a bevel gear on each nut; an intermediate bevel gear meshing with and driving both nut gears; and manually actuated gearing for rotating said driving gear. 9. The combination of a frame having alined bearings; reciprocating threaded members in said bearings, one telescoping into the other; means preventingthe rotation of said threaded members; a revoluble nut on each member restrained from end move-i merit; a single driving gear meshing with and rotating both nuts simultaneously; an actuating member; and a train of gears for transmitting motion from said actuating member to said driving gear.

10. The combination of a frame having alined bearings; reciprocating threaded members in said bearings, one telescoping into the other; means preventing the rotation of said threaded members; a revoluble nut on each member restrained from end movement; a bevel gear on each nut; a driving gear meshing with both bevel gears and rotating both nuts simultaneously; an actuating member; and a train of gears for transmitting motion from said actuating member to said driving ear. v

Signed by me at 746 61d South Building, Boston, Mass this 9th day of November, 1922.

'WALTER E. LOMBARD. 

